


Where No One Knows My Name

by waywardbard



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Original Work
Genre: British Slang, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Muggle/Wizard Relations, Original Character(s), Schmoop, Wizarding World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-12
Updated: 2008-06-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1454242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardbard/pseuds/waywardbard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Wizarding London goes bad, Andrew Kirke and Tessa Lochlan-Kirke flee to survive and build a better life. Scenelets taking place in various airports around the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where No One Knows My Name

There were absolutely no shops open in Heathrow at one in the morning, which wasn't a complete surprise. Andrew Kirke frowned as he counted out the change needed for two teas at the vending machine. The first Earl Grey and the last Orange Pekoe. He turned to leave, going all of five steps before stopping and going back for a handful of honey packets and two stir straws. 

It was quiet, to say the least. Redeye flights weren't popular except as a last resort or for those who want the cheaper flights. Sometimes both. Andrew walked the short distance to terminal three, slipping into the chair next to Tessa's before passing her the travel cup. “They didn't have the other one, I had to improvise.”

She yawned, then leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Ta, me lad. Tea is tea, this hour.” Methodically, her hands more awake than her brain, she stirred the honey into the cup, eyes watching the glitter of her rings over the satin of her gloves. The idea of marriage hadn't really sunk into her brain yet, but the jewellery never came off. It felt more permanent that way.

“Kinda wish we'd stopped at that pub after all,” he said aloud, cracking a half‑smile as he used his thumb and forefinger to push the last bit of honey out of his packet into the open cup. “So wot's in Alexandria anyway? I'm not sure I understand why we're goin' there and not somewhere a bit bigger like Cairo or somethin'.”

“It's Cleopatra's sacred city,” she explained, taking a sip of tea, then frowning, putting more honey in it quickly. “The Great Library was there. Alexander the Great was buried there. The modern world's go'n ter 'ell, darl'n. I'd rather see the ancient.”

Andrew slid his arm between the gap of her back and the chair, scooting a bit closer to her and taking a sip of his tea. “Ah, I think I remember a bit about this Cleopatra an' Alexander. Woz it them two who took a fancy to each other, or woz that Caesar an' I'm gettin' it confused?”

She leaned into his touch. “Antony, Caesar's lieutenant. 'e impaled 'imself onniz sword and she killed 'erself we' sacred asps rather than be taken captive an' dishonoured.” That earned a soft laugh. “Real romantic, eh?”

“Killin' to be with each other, eh?” Andrew leaned his temple against hers, turning to press an absent kiss to her forehead. “I'd rather live, meself.” He took another sip of the tea, frowning. “Bloody tea bags. Ugh. Have you got your boardin' pass ready?”

Tessa hesitated, then pawed through her bag, the jangle of her bracelets seeming all together too loud in the empty terminal. “Yeah, right 'ere. Gorra stop stash'n stuff,” she said, withdrawing the paper from the depths. Then she paused, looking at him questioningly. “You sure about this, go'n 'native', so ter speak?”

“I always wanted to fly in one o' these things anyway, they seem interestin'. Makes it an adventure, ye know?”He brushed a flyaway strand of her hair behind her ear, his finger grazing against her cheek. “'Sides, it'll be safer than Apparatin', what with everyone watchin' things so much now.”

“That's true enough,” she sighed, shaking her head a little. “Jus' 'ad ter ask once, you know. Jus' 'ad ter ask.” She set down her tea to reach for his hand and thread her finger through his.

Andrew brushed his thumb over the back of her hand, feeling the slide of the satin underneath. She'd explained it to him thoroughly one night after a rather intense dream while he'd held her, half‑awake and still trembling. “We can try Apparatin' next time, if you want. S'up to you.” He raised his eyes to the electronic clock on the back wall. Fifteen minutes until boarding.

“I like it this way,” she told him softly. “I feel like we don't 'ave ter 'ide. Jus' be ourselves and not worry about anyth'n but be'n 'appy.” She squeezed his hand tightly. “Everyone should get that chance, and I want ours.” It was still so strange, to think in terms of “we” and “our,” the words still odd in her mouth.

This brought a soft smile. He turned his head against hers and kissed her cheek, lingering there. “Right you are, love.” 

Several straggling passengers for their flight wandered slowly into the waiting area. Not much time left now... “Dunno why I let you talk me out of Tahiti. I liked Tahiti.” 

Tessa grinned at him. “Because I said I was go'n ter Egypt since I was a little bird and this is me chance, kidda, so Egypt it is!” 

Andrew smiled back, leaning in to kiss her firmly on that sweet, smiling mouth. It had been a long, hard question to think over, leaving Britain. But he'd already lost his first girl because of a war, and he wasn't about to lose Tessa the same way. They would both be happier, in the end. 

“We are now ready to start the boarding for Flight 1186 from London to Alexandria,” announced a slim brunette from the entryway door. “Please have your boarding passes ready.” 

* * *

The few months of sunlight and exploration had suited Tessa, and it seemed like a smile was permanently affixed on her face, even as she tried to find decent tea in the airport this time. Everywhere was coffee, and finally, she settled for the strong, black beverage, bringing two cups of it and a pile of sugar cubes back to Andrew, humming absently under her breath, her gauzy scarf hanging loose down her back, a streamer of lavender.

Egypt had been good for both of them, though the heat had taken at least a week to get used to. Andrew had cropped his hair short and shaved away the beginnings of his goatee in an effort to dodge the heat both added. It was fine, though. Hair was hair, and it was worth it to see the sparkle that had grown in his wife's eyes from this place. He smiled when she came back in view, taking the cup from her and giving an annoyed little glare down into it. “Bloody coffee, next time I'm filching all the tea in the complimentary hotel whatsit.” He popped off the cap, dumping at least four cubes into it before taking a sip. “Didja grab creamer too, by chance?”

Tessa laughed softly. “You know they don't bevvy it that way 'ere,” she told him, putting a sugar cube in her teeth before sipping the coffee, as if she'd grown up watching people drink this way. “Grows on you, though. Should be more like it in Amman.” 

Andrew's face fell a little. “I thought maybe with it bein' an airport. Bollocks to that.” God, he wanted to use his wand. They'd been able to cast more easily in the hotel, but not in public. Not that they should've anyway. He scowled down at the cup before taking a sip of it, hating the bitter edge but glad for the sugar. “We'll have to stop by an herb shop or somethin', I need to stock up if I wanna develop those great shots from down in el‑Amarna.” 

“There's sweet tea, shai, they like it in Jordan. It's jus' dead, dead sweet.” She kissed his cheek gently. “Don't fret, love, yer Britishness will stay in tact. Did the shots turn out, then, you think?” 

That brought a laugh out of him, and Drew turned to press a fuller kiss to her lips. “O'course. An' the dress...” His smile turned sly, eyes half‑closing. “..woz almost as teasin' as you were. Much better on you than the local girl who showed it fer us.” 

“Worth every genieh we spent, eh?” she asked, kissing him back, totally oblivious to the fact that there was anyone else in the busy Cairo terminal. “Always knew blue was me colour.” 

“Shines in your eyes,” he rumbled in her ear, kissing a path down from her hear to her neck. “How long's the flight?” 

She shivered, loving the rumble of his voice. “Not long, maybe forty‑five minutes.” 

“Too long for what I'm wantin',” Drew replied, nipping a sensitive spot on her neck and sliding his arm behind her. “Think there's enough time before boardin'?” 

Tessa grinned. “Wicked th'n. We've twenty minutes,” she said, looking up at the clock in the terminal. “I think we can manage.” 

“Maybe ten more, what with the slow ones 'n the mums and babies.” He kissed her again, deeper than the last one, his fingers snaking through her hair. The sun had bleached it out, made it softer than ever. Given the opportunity, he'd've ran his fingers through it for hours. “S'not like we've worked with less than that and with more company, eh? I'll go find a stall and charm it for us.” Drew kissed her once more before reluctantly standing, coffee forgotten. “Give me two minutes.” 

Tessa grinned up at him. “Knew I took up wi' you fer a reason. You're on.” 

* * *

“Deux eaux chaudes, s'il vous plaît?” 

The man at the counter gave Andrew a strange look before going about getting what he ordered. Drew looked around the little vender while he waited, spotting a turning display with various postcards displayed. The vender made short work of the waters, and Andrew plucked out one of the cards as well as a small bottle of hand cream. “Et cette carte postale, aussi bien que ceci. Combien est‑ce que je vous dois?” 

The vendor gave the total in pleasant enough tone, though it was quite plain what his expression said: Tourists. Andrew couldn't help the cheeky grin at the man before he tucked the postcard and hand cream into his pocket, heading back the way he came. It was only a quick jog to the proper terminal, and Andrew felt a lovely little swoop in his stomach at the sight of the blonde sitting, waiting for him. He'd come to truly love her hair while being in Jordan, seeing as she'd kept it covered nearly the entire time. It'd grown at least another six inches while they'd been there, and almost retained a permanent curl to it from the recently‑undone braid she'd kept it in. He sat next to her, passing the cup along to her before putting his own cup between his knees in order to fish out two packets of honey and a tea bag from the depths of his pockets. 

Tessa laughed, watching him. “You made sound on the threat ter nick things, didn't you?” she teased. “Lucky we're not hang'n about wi' Saudis, they cut the hands off of thieves.” All the same, she took a tea bag from him and the honey. 

“Complimentary's a funny word, innit?” Drew replied with a wide grin, taking a gulp from the tea as if it were nectar of the gods. He gave a pleased little sigh before sliding his arm around her shoulders, pressing his face into her hair and holding the cup loosely in his hand. “Fuck, but I missed this. Never again.” 

“It was good, though, wasn't it?” she asked, a little uncertain. “And India will be different, totally different. And if you're a good lad, you might even convince me ter wear a sari.” Her hair smelled like sandalwood and jasmine, the results of oil combed through the blonde waves to keep them soft and shiny in the dry heat. 

It was a welcomed, heady rush. He could hardly distinguish the real scent of her underneath the sandalwood and jasmine, but it was nonetheless pleasant. He'd remember that the most about Jordan, to be sure. That and why they were able to afford their next trip; he'd only had money enough for them to go this far up until two months after they'd arrived when he'd received news from his sister about his mother's passing. 

Andrew pushed the thought out of his mine, pressing a kiss to her hair before pulling back and giving her a faint smile. “I loved it. Woz pretty. Though nothin' can compare to you. 

“Flatter a bird,” she murmured, smiling at him radiantly. Travel suited her, the warm climates especially so. She'd managed to get something of a tan underneath her gauzy scarves and tunics, and her eyes seemed all the more blue for it. But most of all, she was more settled in her skin, more comfortable wherever she was. She felt more herself than she ever had, but moreover, she felt as if she knew who that was. 

He shook his head a little and smiled a bit more, nuzzling his cheek against hers. “I only speak the truth, I thought we've had this argument a'fore.” He pressed his lips against her cheek where they rested before pulling back a bit, taking a deep drink from the tea. There would be more on board granted, but it had become something of a ritual now. Cuppa before the flight, if at all possible. Or something at least.

“You dun mind stay'n a piece? Not 'omesick?” she asked, taking a sip of her own tea, keeping her gloved hands wrapped around the warm cup, airports always too cold for her. 

He'd nearly drained the cup for all that he wanted it, the desert heat having taught him a new lesson about how precious water really was. Merlin knew, the way they charged for it in the restaurants they'd gone to. He leaned his cheek against hers again, his voice a low, smooth tenor in her ear: 

“ _Home is still the place that we love the most, home is where you are, home is where you are..._ “ 

That made a gentle, sweet smile steal across her face. “Love you,” she whispered. 

He smiled against her ear, pressing a faint kiss just below her earlobe where her jaw line and neck met. “Love you more.” He pulled back, meeting her eyes. “Besides, I don't want to go back there. S'nothing there that I don't already have here with me.” 

“Makes us gypsies, then,” she said, grinning. “Carry everth'n in yer bag an' yer heart.” 

“S'what they called you in school, wozn't it?” Drew asked, matching her grin. “Converted me, 'ave you?” 

“Amongst other th'ns,” she said. “Mostly Summerby, though. And I reckon I 'ave.” She put the tea down to twine her fingers with his, looking at the contrast of white cotton against his tanned skin. 

He leaned his head against hers comfortably as they sat, thumb grazing over the back of her hand, watching the light bounce off the jewel in her ring. Summerby.. and Jackal, come to think of it. Everyone, really. I hope they're safe at least... wherever they are. 

“C'mon. They're prob'ly goin' to call the seatin' any minute now.” 

“Yeah, all right,” she agreed, then grinned. “First th'n I'm doin' in Delhi is putt'n on a bikini. No head scarf.” 

“How about jus' goin' naked?” Drew replied with an eyebrow waggle, grabbing up his suitcase and following after her. 

* * *

It was another red eye, a transfer from the tiny airport in Goa to the major hub in Delhi, and then from Delhi to Tokyo. Finding tea was so much easier in India, the sort that had been infinitely familiar in Britain, and it was sheer luck to find anywhere open to even get tea. Thanking the clerk profusely, Tessa made her way back to their terminal to drop a kiss on top of Andrew's head. “I almost don't want ter leave,” she said, plopping down next to him to pass him a cup of tea, folding her legs under her comfortably. 

Andrew opened his eyes blearily at the feel of her kiss, turning to look in her direction. He took the cup with a tired 'thanks' before sipping it. Straight brew, no tea bags this time. Perfect. Almost better than home. “Mm. S'been what, eight months? We can always come back, ye know. Apparate back instead. I could make a nook in Goa.” 

“I know,” Tessa said. “But we're gypsies, yeah? Can't settle out yet, we're too young!” She mustered the enthusiasm for him, too tired to really feel it yet, but she tried. 

He gave her a slightly more alert smile, his hand moving to rest on her thigh. They'd both browned considerably since being in Goa, soaking up the hot sun as they'd swam the waters and walked the lengths of the beaches. India was definitely the best visit so far. The Japanese would probably give them strange looks. “S'true, yer right. Still plenty of time yet. Gotta find the right home, haven't we?” 

“Absolutely,” she agreed, resting her head on his shoulder, close and comfortable. “'Sides, it's about as far away from London as you can get, Tokyo. Whole world away.” 

“And definitely a different culture altogether,” he added, eyes closing again as he leaned his head against hers. He brought the cup to his lips, taking another deep sip from it. He would definitely miss India's tea, but Japanese tea was supposed to be an interesting switch‑off in comparison. They would definitely have to go to one of the Tea Ceremonies. “I hear they're a bit cramped, like sardines. Still interestin', though.” 

“Like London wasn't? Merseyside was the same way,” Tessa said with a shrug. “'Sides, it's all hip an' fashionable an' such. Fast‑paced.” 

Andrew gave a breath of a laugh, taking another sip from the cup. “Yeah well, least in London you're not banned from lightin' candles in the house. Not even tea lights, I don't think. Though don't get me wrong, I wanna go. They've got quite a comic followin' there.”

“All kinds, 'leastways, that's how the guidebooks make it sound. Comics an' cartoons an' such.” She smiled at him. “Maybe we'll see the cherry blossoms?” 

“Mmhm,” Drew replied, opening his eyes a bit to look at her. “Maybe find a grove or summat with flats nearby. That'd be nice.” 

“There you are, wantin' to settle again,” she teased gently, kissing the tip his nose. 

“Just for then, honest,” he replied, eyes closing at the little kiss. “Dunno if Japan's e'sactly where I wanna be spendin' the rest of my days, though I can't say there are worser places.” He opened his eyes again, leaning in close to kiss her. “I'm fine wherever you wanna be, milove.” 

“I'm not sure yet. I'll tell you when I find it,” she said honestly, stretching like a cat in the seat with a yawn, pushing her braid over her shoulder. 

“Attention please, at this time we will be boarding all rows for flight 806.” The intercom repeated the message again in Japanese. It wasn't exactly the prettiest language he'd heard, that much was certain, but it sounded right just then. The other side of the world, she'd said. That sounded about right.

“C'mon,” she said, finishing the cup of tea, then getting to her feet to pull him up for a kiss before shrugging her bag on her shoulder. “Whole new adventure wait'n. Don't want ter miss it.” 

* * *

It was a silly thing, buying a fairycake for a birthday cake. They could've had cake the night before, or even before they'd gotten on the bullet train to the airport, but for some reason it felt right. Andrew bowed his head in thanks to the vendor before moving to find his wife. They'd both paled at least two shades since India, and while they hadn't stayed long in Japan it'd been an fun trip while it'd lasted. Apparently the sardine rumour was quite true. He stuck the hand still holding the fairycake over her shoulder, craning his neck over the other side to look at her. “Happy Birthday.” 

Tessa looked up and smiled, somewhere between teasing and sweet. “Aw, lad, you remembered. Honoured husband. All of that.” 

He gave her a quick kiss, hopping over the top of the chairs to sit on the other side of her. “S'got strawberry fillin', so I might have to sneak a small bite.” He grinned. “Sorry there's no candles, you'll just have to kiss me and make a wish.” 

Her smile softened. “I know exactly what I'm wishin' fer,” she said, then leaned in to kiss him tenderly, ignoring the giggling of a group of girls across from them in the sleek terminal. 

Drew moved to push his fingers through her hair, his thumb brushing against her cheek. He pulled back with a smile, eyes full of love and adoration. “S'that mean you're gonna tell me? I have the power to grant wishes, ye know.” 

Tessa shook her head, smiling, her cheeks starting to pink a little. “Can't tell wishes. Else they don't come true, leastways, not birthday ones. 'Sides, it's special. You'll know when it does. If it does.” 

“If?” he replied, eyebrows arched. She was blushing? Why was she blushing? He continued on regardless. “Now that's not the attitude ye want if ye want a birthday wish to come true. You've gotta know it will.” 

“All right,” she agreed. “I know it'll come true. From my lips to Isis's ears.” 

“That's the spirit,” he replied with a grin, kissing her again. “Wanna get another cuppa before we go? I think this macha's growin' on me, despite how sour it woz at first.” 

Tessa shook her head. “If I never drink sour green tea again, it'll be too bloody soon. I'll stick wi' me fairycake, ta,” she said, licking off a bit of the icing first, always liking that part the best. 

“You didn't mind the jasmine at all, though,” he replied with a small grin, leaning over to give her a long, lingering kiss before standing. “Won't be a minute, promise.” 

A little nod and Tessa licked off a bit more of her icing. “Don't get waylaid by cute schoolgirls, now,” she said in mock‑warning. 

He flashed her a playful grin. “Sorry, but I prefer a bird with proper curves, thankye much.” He ducked his head to meet her as if to kiss her again, but dodged at the last second to take a bite off the top of the fairycake. After a right proper kiss he turned off, heading toward the vender again for a postcard and, most likely, his last cup of macha. 

Tessa just laughed, making a silly face at his retreating form and settled in to finish her birthday fairycake, turning her wish over and over in her mind, worrying it down like a river stone. Despite being crammed in like sardines and finding people always in a hurry, she felt calmer than she had anywhere else, and it was a nice feeling. 

* * *

Though Peru was beautiful, it was much too rainy and hot for his liking. Rainy could be dealt with, and hot could be as well, but together they left him lethargic and aching for dry weather. Though it did result in some rather... enjoyable moments in their hotel, all hot and sweaty in the bed. They'd spent more time in their hotel room in Peru than they had in Jordan. It wasn't so much a mistake as a bad choice of time to travel there, the weather was better in the 'winter' months than in the late spring and early summer. 

He'd had to pick up a small job to cover the last of the air fare back to the Other Side of the World. Normally it would've been no problem for them to get back; all it took was a few Floo trips up the continent into America and then Apparate to New York or another good airport. 

However, from what the books said, it wasn't a “risk worth taking” to Apparate while pregnant. 

He'd hated the idea of leaving her the few nights he'd had to in order to get the last bit of money. And while their trips from one place to the next had been mostly random, this one needed more thought. This one was the final stop, the place they'd settle down at last. 

Andrew slid his key into the lock of the hotel room, giving it a twist before turning the knob and sliding inside. “That should do it, I think. Enough to cover another redeye on coach. Lids sent me a bit of money too, to make sure we could buy another meal on the flight if we needed.” 

Looking up from the book she'd been reading‑‑Ancient Art of Peru, nothing involving babies, she wasn't quite ready to change all her interests into motherly ones and she had a good five months in which to do it, anyway‑‑Tessa smiled at him. “Time to pack up an' go, eh? Don't fuss so much, anyway, I'm fine. We're fine,” she amended. 

“I know, I know, I jus'...” he stripped off his shirt and trousers as he made his way over, his hair back in a ponytail. “I want to do it right, ye know. Messed it up somethin' fierce last time.” He collapsed onto the little double bed and stretched the length of it, the air from the ceiling fan beating down against his skin. “Didja find a place you thought you'd like?”

Abandoning the book, she got up to sit next to him, stripping her gloves off to stroke his forehead tenderly. “Last chance, me lad. We can go back ter the UK, if you want.” 

Andrew closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of her hand against his skin. She had skin like the satin of her gloves, except better, all soft and perfect with heat behind the touches. “Mm... no. I... it's not home anymore. It'll be like... goin' back to the house ye grew up in only to find a carpark there.” 

Her rings dangled from a silver chain on her neck, back and forth as she leaned over him, the heat swelling her fingers too much for the unforgiving metal. “I was think'n Greece, then. Crete. Somewhere near the water, sod the modern world, all o' that.” 

“Crete,” he echoed, the word rolling off his tongue. It felt solid. Comfortable. An island, too. There was potential in that. “Not India?” he asked after a pause, opening one eye to look at her and smiling a little. 

Tessa shook her head, pushing her long braid back over her shoulder. “I thought about it, sure 'nuff. But I reckon the home of logic and reason in the West might be a good place ter start a family.” 

Family. Even stronger than Crete, that word resonated in him and filled him with a peculiar thought not unpleasant feeling. He opened both eyes, pushing himself up on both elbows and reaching to snake an arm around her. “Such a Ravenclaw,” he tutted, smiling. 

“Remember the fairycake in Tokyo?” she asked softly, leaning slightly into his touch. 

He found her left hand, pressing his palm against hers so that the length of her fingers touched half past his second knuckles. Fairycake in Tokyo. Her birthday. He turned his eyes to meet hers, eyebrows raised in question. 

“This is what I wished fer,” she finished, letting her other hand drape across her belly, only barely starting to show on her slight body. “I never thought I could, I thought everything was sodded up wi’ me...but you were right, I just had to act like I knew.” 

Andrew grinned, adjusting himself so that he could lean against the back of the headboard, both arms circling around her and covering hers. Family... he thought again, utterly content. All our own. 

“We'll get a little place on the shore somewhere and have our family and be happy,” she said, daydreaming as she leaned against him, always so tired these days. “Teach the wee one ter swim in the sea.” 

“Before she can walk, no doubt,” he replied, kissing the side of her neck and closing her eyes. “I'll go into town an' buy the tickets tomorrow.” 

“You think it'll be a girl?” she asked softly. “I've been scared ter See or ter even try ter read someth'n...”

“I think it will,” Drew replied, fingers moving between hers against her abdomen. “Feels right. Though I reckon I won't be upset if it isn't. Sometimes the best things are things you don't see coming.” 

Tessa smiled, settling down comfortably. “I think so,” she agreed. “But I'd still like a little girl. Just think of all the blokes you'll get to fend off.” 

That brought a hearty laugh. “If she ends up lookin' anythin' like you, I might very well have ter send her off to join a nunnery a'fore she's ten.” 

Grinning, she shoved his shoulder. “Flatter a bird,” she said, the same thing she always said to a compliment, old habits dying hard. 

Andrew craned his neck around her shoulder, tilting his face to kiss her firmly. The rush he got was still there, nearly a two years later. Two years... he echoed inwardly. “Reckon I'm lucky fer havin' the right net.” 

She smiled against his lips. “Mmm, I think I'm lucky fer lett'n meself finally be caught.” 


End file.
